Foolball

The beautiful game doesn’t always make for side-splitting comedy

You may not have to be a football fan to enjoy Foolball, but it will make the whole performance much more bearable. In this one-man show that charts the rise and fall of a fictional team (Redstar Belgravia), the majority of the jokes are football related and it even descends from time to time to general soccer-based chit chat with the front row.

There is, however, some relief for those less enchanted with the beautiful game. Rapid costume changes take place before the crowd’s eyes and watching a grown man struggle to get into a pair of trousers is always guaranteed a chuckle. An impressive repertoire of accents is put to good use in crowbarring football references into various settings including a genuinely funny Robin Hood section involving a glove puppet.

The boundless enthusiasm is let down by a serious repetition of jokes, though. On more than two occasions, the exact same punchline is used, an offence that’s surely worthy of a yellow card. However, the entire show stays strictly on point and footy fans will probably not be disappointed. The rest of us may need a thorough explanation of the offside rule.

Tom Skelton
There may be no I in team, but this absurd romp through the history of an imagined football club is performed by one man. Renowned improv-comedy maverick Tom Skelton brings to life the founding heroes, foreign stars and billionaire owners who populate the glittering history of the greatest club that never…